FoR: Coyote Ugly
by libra-gurl
Summary: WOO! I finally finished writing this fanfiction. The last two installments are finally uploaded so now I'm satisfied with myself. R&R, kudasai! ^^
1. The Musician

Chapter 1  
  
The Musician  
  
  
  
Fuuko looked up to see her friend staring at her intently. "Are you sure you want to go, Fuuko?" Masuki asked her, a sad expression on her face. "Are you really thinking of leaving your dad and I?"  
  
Fuuko smiles. "I'm sorry, Masuki-chan," she said. "But I have to go. I can't find my destiny here—I can only find it at New York City. And besides, you can visit me anytime you want, and I can come back to this town to visit you guys anytime I want."  
  
Masuki pouted her beautiful lips. "Okay, then. At least I could help with your moving," she said, smiling back.  
  
Fuuko just laughed at Masuki's statement. "All right, Masuki. You made your point. I just hope mom would be all right once I've gone."  
  
******  
  
"I'm going to miss you so much, Fuuko…" her mom said, tears brimming in her eyes. "You promise you'll visit me when you get famous?" she said jokingly.  
  
Fuuko laughed. "Oh, mom, don't worry. I'll be fine."  
  
"I know. You always came through. You're always such an independent woman."  
  
"A tomboy," Masuki butted in, smiling.  
  
Fuuko slapped Masuki and smiles. "I'll see you later, mom." She hugged Mrs. Kirisawa and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you."  
  
"And I you."  
  
"Let's go, Fuuko-sama!" Masuki called out to Fuuko, motioning the car that was ready to take Fuuko to New York City, where her life would be changed forever.  
  
"Bye mom!"  
  
"Bye, Mrs. Kirisawa!"  
  
"Bye Fuuko! You're not eloping, are you, Masuki?"  
  
"Nanii?"  
  
******  
  
"Oh, Fuuko, this place looks so…fallen apart." Masuki looked around the place that was supposed to be furnished and ready for Fuuko to move in. It looked like someone had a party there and burnt everything they had. Masuki was right, the place was fallen apart.  
  
"Oh, that's okay," Fuuko answered, setting her baggage down and placing her beloved musical instruments on the kitchen table. "I know what to do to a place like this. I don't live with my mom without inheriting anything, you know?" She smiles cheekily.  
  
Masuki just looked at the place and crinkled her nose in disgust. "Well…I know I can't do it. Trust me, this place looks bad," she said. "But if you're sure you could do it, I'm not stopping you."  
  
"Thanks, Masuki," Fuuko said, hugging Masuki. She and Masuki had been friends for God knows how long… They would miss each other so much. But Fuuko must reach her destiny—she wants to be a well-known musician. She's willing to do anything.  
  
Masuki was reluctant to live. She sighed. "Well, if you really are going to stay here, I'm giving you some money—in case for a rainy day, you know?" Masuki said, smiling as she puts a parchment roll of money into the top fridge.  
  
"But—"  
  
"No buts, Fuuko," Masuki said, smiling. "I'd do anything for my friend, won't I? Good luck, and trust me, I'm behind you—always!"  
  
Tears brimming in their eyes, the two best friends hugged each other, as if to say "goodbye". With that, Masuki left Fuuko with her new "apartment", which wasn't much.  
  
******  
  
Fuuko began her job-searching the next morning, hoping that someone would take her as a lyricist. But her mission proved to be vain, of course, as none would take the risk of hiring a non-professional lyricist or bargirl.  
  
Fuuko was about to give up when she reached a bar that caught her attention almost immediately. "Heavens", it reads. Hmm, sounds peculiar, she thought. I'd give it a try. Peculiar is my kind of alley.  
  
Finding the one in charge of the bar was harder than Fuuko thought. Shed' probably fight better than she had searching for jobs. But she couldn't just beat up some guys just to get some jobs—besides, force is not really the way.  
  
She drank a few drops of wine when her eyes caught attention of a guy. He was asking around everybody in the bar, and he was quite peculiar. She looked at him when he finally looked her way. She smiles. He smiles back.  
  
"Hey," she said to the bartender. "Who's that guy there? Is he in charge of the bar?"  
  
The bartender smiles. "Yeah. Everybody loves that guy."  
  
Fuuko nodded, draining her glass. Hmm, she thought. I could give my demo tape to him… "Where can I find him? I mean, where's his office?" she said.  
  
"At the kitchen."  
  
"His office is at the kitchen?" she said, incredulous.  
  
"Yep."  
  
Peculiar as it sounds, Fuuko decided to give it a try. She got up and walked to the kitchen. As soon as she reached the kitchen, smokes filled her nostrils. "Ugh," she muttered to herself, fighting off all the smokes.  
  
"Hello, I don't believe we've met."  
  
In front of her stood the man who was in charge of the bar. He was handsome, no doubt about it. His silvery hair was tied back into a ponytail, and he's wearing a casual outfit. His eyes are piercing blue, and his smile was definitely genuine.  
  
"Um, hi," Fuuko stumbled. She reached into her purse. "Hi, I just want to see you because I want to give you my demo tape, you know…? Um…I understand you're the one in charge…?"  
  
The man was almost laughing. He scoffed. "What? Me?"  
  
Just at that second, the man was called. "Tokiya! Get over here! The food's burning!"  
  
"Food?" Fuuko questioned him, sounding confused.  
  
"Um, yeah, always happy to help around the kitchen—I'm a natural," he said, laughing a little. "I'll see you, uh, later." With that, he hurried off somewhere else.  
  
Fuuko sighed. "Great," she said to herself as she went back to the bar. "Another shut down."  
  
She got out of the bar a little late, but she was composed. She stayed there just to get that guy to have her demo tape. It's her only chance of ever getting a job.  
  
She got out through the back door and saw the guy with the bartender and three other people she didn't know. She stepped toward him and spoke to him. "Um, excuse me…?" she said. "Can I speak to you for a while?"  
  
The guy looked nervous and uncomfortable, but he followed Fuuko while the bartender laughed. "What can I help you with?" he said, smiling.  
  
"Um…well," she said, unable to find words. "I just want you to have my demo tape, because I'm out of job, and I need a job. I just…you know, if I'm good, you can hire me or something." Fuuko never felt this vulnerable before. It was unbearable to be so weak.  
  
The guy took the demo tape and looked at Fuuko. "You really thought I'm the manager?" he said.  
  
"What…what do you mean?" Fuuko's face fell. "You mean you're not the manager of that bar?"  
  
"No," the guy said sympathetically. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Oh." With a disappointed look, Fuuko looked down. "Okay. Sorry to bother you so much…"  
  
"How'd you get that idea?"  
  
"Um, the bartender—"  
  
"Ah!" the man laughed. "I'm sorry, but Bernie had been causing so much trouble for all of our customers, and I regret that he's as he is, you know what I mean? Anyway, I'm Tokiya."  
  
"Fuuko," she said. "Can I—can I have my demo tape back?"  
  
"Look, I'll tell you what," he said, smiling at her. "I'm gonna try to hand your demo tape to the real manager, all right? I'm gonna help 'cause you've gone through too much trouble there."  
  
Fuuko smiles. "Thanks, Tokiya."  
  
"You're welcome. Now I have to go and get a drink at somebody else's bar…"  
  
Fuuko just looked at him as he catches up with his friends. He's weird—way weirder than Fuuko thought. She smiles without really thinking of it. So he's weird. Who cares? He just offered to help her. The crowd at New York City is so tough—Fuuko sighed.  
  
She has to get home or she's going to drop dead hungry.  
  
******  
  
Fuuko gaped at her apartment. Someone had broken in her apartment. Her apartment looks…emptier than it was before Fuuko left it. "Oh my God," Fuuko said, her voice croaked. Someone had broken in and had stolen her stuffs.  
  
She looked around and can't help it—she began to cry.  
  
All her stuffs are gone. All of this happened in the daylight?!  
  
Fuuko's eyes opened wide. Is it still there…? She hurried to the fridge and opened the top one. She sighed in amusement and in resignation. The money Masuki had given her was gone too…  
  
Everything's lost…  
  
Fuuko sat down at a corner and began crying.  
  
******  
  
The next morning, regaining her composure, she thanks God that her music instruments were not stolen, since she had hide it somewhere unfound. She has to search for works now—she'll be broke by tomorrow if she doesn't get one.  
  
But first…  
  
Fuuko retraced her steps to where "Heavens" is. She gave her last demo tape to that guy Tokiya. Tokiya had promised he'll help her, but Fuuko thought she would rather do it herself.  
  
"Um, excuse me," she said to Tokiya as she spotted him, cooking with his aprons on. Tokiya turned to look at her. He smiles.  
  
"Oh hey."  
  
"Can I have my tape back?"  
  
"Oh, I was thinking if I could borrow it for a few days—"  
  
"For what?" asked Fuuko suspiciously.  
  
"To cook it," said Tokiya, really sarcastically. "No, I'm trying to find some kind of guy to give it to—I have this guy who has big influence under some music productions."  
  
"Oh," Fuuko said, blushing. She smiles. "Thanks. But I need it back."  
  
"Oh, come on… I can help you."  
  
Fuuko bite her lips and shrugged. "Okay. But if I get a job, I'll be coming back for it," she said. "And that's a promise too."  
  
"All right," Tokiya said, non-committal to the conversation that's going on. "So I'll see you later when you get a job."  
  
******  
  
Fuuko looked around the restaurant she's in. At the rate she's going, she can't afford pancakes anymore. She took a last bite out of her bacon, gulping. She saw a few sexy-looking girls talking and joking. They're very loud—in fact, they're the loudest customers in the restaurant.  
  
"I can't believe you're leaving us, Anisha," a brunette said, smiling at a black girl sitting across her and a black-haired girl.  
  
"Well, good luck!" the black-haired girl said.  
  
"Cheers!" said the black girl.  
  
Fuuko turned to the man who was the one selling the food. "Who are they?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, they're my regular customers here," the man said, smiling. "Unfortunately, one of them is living the bar they work in, and they've come here to 'celebrate' or something."  
  
"Oh." She looked at the girls again. "Where do they work?"  
  
"A bar," the man said. "Coyote Ugly."  
  
"Coyote Ugly?" Fuuko said. She shrugged. "Oh." She'll give it a try. Desperate times calls for desperate measures. She drain her cup and walked out of the restaurant, resolute to find the bar Coyote Ugly.  
  
******  
  
Fuuko stood in front of Coyote Ugly, sighing.  
  
She heard some noises from a basement near the Coyote Ugly building. It must be someone related to the bar… She went down into the basement and found a blonde working her heart out, carrying boxes and arranging it.  
  
"Excuse me," Fuuko said a little shyly.  
  
The blonde turned to her briefly and return to her boxes. "What do you want?" she asked her in a rough manner.  
  
"Um," Fuuko said doubtfully, "I'm wondering if you're the manager of Coyote Ugly. Are you?"  
  
"Yeah," the blonde said briefly. "So?"  
  
"Oh, great!" Fuuko said, smiling. "I'm searching for some works. Unfortunately, can't find some. Anyway, do you have an opening at your bar?"  
  
"Why ask me?"  
  
"You are the manager, aren't you?" Fuuko asked, worried if she's not the manager—déjà vu all over again.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then…"  
  
"I'm working here."  
  
Anger got the best of Fuuko. Fuuko was known to have a bad temper, and it's showing. "Look, I've been to hundred of places and I won't take anymore craps from, from some blond who claimed to be the manager!" she exclaimed angrily.  
  
The blonde stopped working. She turned to Fuuko, looking angry. Fuuko thought she'd blew it. "Come here tonight for audition," she said, turning back to the boxes. "Now scoot before I change my mind."  
  
Fuuko grinned broadly. "Thanks," she said, smiling as she walked out of the basement. This is turning out great. And tonight's the big night. 


	2. Coyote Ugly

***Author's Note***  
  
Thanks for the comments—I will be continuing, even if there aren't that many reviews. *shrugs* That's life, I guess. Anyway, Flame of Recca, sadly, isn't mine and Coyote Ugly isn't mind either. Too bad, huh? :) Oh well, let's get on with the fanfics, shall we? The characters are going to be so OOC, so don't complain! :p  
  
***End of Author's Rambling***  
  
Fuuko returned that day to "Heavens", where Tokiya works. She have to get her demo tape back so that she could make copies of it and hand it to other recording company. Entering the kitchen at the back door, she scanned the kitchen and caught sight of Tokiya's awfully long silvery hair.  
  
"Tokiya!" she shouted as she made her way to him, receiving stares and glares.  
  
Tokiya turned to her and smiles. "Hey, how are you doing?"  
  
Fuuko thrust her hand out. "I need my tape back."  
  
"Huh?" Tokiya muttered in bewilderment while raising his pan and tossing a…what the hell's he cooking? Fuuko rather not know. She shook her head back to reality. "What for?" Tokiya asked.  
  
"Oh, I've got a job," Fuuko said proudly, grinning. "I just need to demo tape to make copies and everything."  
  
A fat, burly guy who sat near Tokiya looked at them both, then turned back to his newspaper.  
  
"Oooh, on a roll, huh?" Tokiya said, still tossing that…whatever that thing is. "Sure, it's in my apartment, though… I have to go back and get it and then I'll return it to you. Okay, don't kill me! I was just kidding! It's in my jacket—there, over the hanger, yes, it's a genuine leather jacket, hey, don't touch it!"  
  
Fuuko giggled and rummaged around for her demo tape. She finally found it and shouted triumphantly. "A-ha!" she said, smiling in satisfaction. "Thanks for your help, anyway." She was ready to leave when she heard Tokiya sang something…  
  
"…but I do love you, but I do love you, love everything about the way you're loving me…" he sang, smirking while tossing his…food.  
  
Fuuko stopped and then turned to him. "You…you listened to it?!" she asked, enraged that her personal privacy no longer matters in New York.  
  
Tokiya shrugged. "Did you really write that?" he asked, dodging her other questions.  
  
Fuuko bite her lip. "Yes."  
  
"Well, it sucks—"  
  
Fuuko kicked him at the sides and he laughed.  
  
"No, it was really good," Tokiya said. "I'm not lying! I'm honest—cross my heart and honest to—oh, okay, I won't mention it again." He grumbled.  
  
Fuuko smirked. "Good." She turned to leave, and then—  
  
"So where can I find you?"  
  
Fuuko turned to him, yet again. "Excuse me?" she asked incredulously.  
  
Tokiya smiles. "I have to see you perform now, haven't I?"  
  
Fuuko just narrowed her eyes, and then her expression clear. She smiles. "Oh, it's not easy to find that place," she said. "But I'm a Coyote at a bar."  
  
"A Coyote?" Tokiya said. "What kind of a—"  
  
"—name that you have to figure out for yourself," Fuuko said, grinning then leaving.  
  
Tokiya just watched her leave. Then he chuckled.  
  
The fat man laughed. "The girl's good."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
***  
  
Fuuko arrived at Coyote Ugly, looking around the crowd. She then saw the blonde who gave her the job and grinned, walking toward her. She went back to the counter and said her "hi". The blonde muttered something and said, "You're late."  
  
"Sorry about that," Fuuko said timidly.  
  
"Never mind, let's get to work! Crowd's tough tonight," the blonde said. "I'm Jo, the Oriental gal is Emerald—real name's Yanagi—and the last one, dark-haired, is Peril. Get to work."  
  
The other girls smiles and Emerald aka Yanagi looked at Fuuko and smiles, waving. "Audition, huh?" she said. "Tell me about it." She's wearing black leather pants and a revealing red top. "I've been here for quite a while. Excuse me while I do my work."  
  
Emerald jumped onto the table and did a dance, coordinating her moves with the music. Fuuko gaped at her and the other two girls, Jen and Peril, who are also dancing on the counter table. "I'm supposed to do this?" she muttered to no one in particular.  
  
Jo looked at Fuuko and she took a megaphone, putting it near her mouth. "Hey, listen on, guys!" Jo screamed to the dancing and cheering crowd. "We have a new recruit here! She's starting fresh! Give a clap for"—she closed the megaphone and turned to Fuuko. "What's your name?"  
  
"Fuuko."  
  
Jo gave her a withering glance and rolled her eyes. She clicked the megaphone on again. "—Jersey!"  
  
Immediately the crowd cheered and demanded her to "do her job". Fuuko, gaping at the crowd, tried to think it through.  
  
"Come on, Jersey, do your work," Jo snapped. "Or are you chickening out?"  
  
Fuuko, determined, glared at Jo and jumped on the table with great skills as she's an excellent acrobat. Fuuko somehow felt weird dancing on the tabletop with her clothes on. She wore flares and a blue top that says "NY Gal". She tried to do her best, though, and danced along with the music.  
  
Soon she felt at ease and did a few moves of her own, owning cheers, claps and wolf-whistle. When Jo called for her, she immediately got off the table and turned to Jo. "What now?" she said.  
  
"You have to know how to serve," Jo said curtly. She handed Fuuko 4 mugs and said, "4 whiskeys."  
  
Fuuko nodded and trotted off to the bar and filled whiskey in the mugs. She puts it on the counter and someone immediately took it.  
  
"Idiot! You're supposed to take it to the one who ordered it!" Jo muttered. She sighed, and then turned to Emerald, who looked sympathetic at Fuuko. "You help her, Em—you're better at this than I am."  
  
"All right," Emerald said, jumping off the counter and walking to Fuuko. "First thing you gotta know is that the customer's always right—just ask for what they want and fill it in. Now we know how to fill the mugs with style." Emerald grinned at the confused look of Fuuko's. "Watch." She took two mugs when a man shouted 2 liquor. "Coming right up," Emerald said as she swing the cups in the air and catching it with her hands and instantly filling them up with liquor, which she opened by kicking a barrel with her leg.  
  
"Whoa…" Fuuko whispered, looking at the 'stunt'. "Damn, how am I supposed to do that?!"  
  
"It takes practice," said the brunette, Peril. She scowled at Fuuko.  
  
Fuuko immediately looked away and turned to a man, who's ordering something. "2 whiskey, 1 liquor, 1 wine!"  
  
Fuuko nodded. She took 4 mugs and tried to do something with it, to no avail. She gives up and filled her customer's orders and handed it to them. She turned to the next man, who looked disheveled, and ask him what he wants.  
  
"Water—plain water."  
  
"Coming up!" Fuuko said cheerfully—she really should maintain a mood. She took a mug when Jo snapped at her.  
  
Jo scowled darkly at Fuuko. Fuuko wonders what she'd done now… Jo took her megaphone and shouted again. "Hey, peeps!" she shouted. The crowd immediately pays attention to her. "This guy here just ordered water! Now, I ask you this, do we serve water?!"  
  
"NO!" the crowd shouted.  
  
"And what do we do to them?" Jo shouted.  
  
The man looked bewildered. "PUNISH the guy, dammit!" the crowd shouted.  
  
"That's right," Jo said, grinning. She took a hose near the beer tank and sprayed it at the man who had ordered water. The man, shocked, got up and went out of the bar. "Damn, that's fun!" Jo said, laughing. She turned to Fuuko. "Now you know what we do to people who ordered water—keep that in mind."  
  
"Right," Fuuko said, shaken. How is she supposed to fit in this tough crowd? She hardly knows why they even call themselves 'Coyote Ugly', dammit. Now she's supposed to dance on tabletops and serve beer to people using SKILLS? New Yorkers are even weirder than she thought…  
  
The night went uneventfully after that, though, and remarkably, Fuuko survived the night. After the bar's closed, the girls cleaned up and Fuuko had a little talk with Emerald.  
  
"So this is what you guys do every night, huh?" she said.  
  
Emerald laughed. "Pretty much," she said. "It's fun."  
  
"Right," muttered Peril.  
  
"You'll like it better than Peril does, hopefully!" Emerald said, grinning.  
  
Peril smiles. "Shut up, Em."  
  
"So why'd you guys call yourself Coyote Ugly?" Fuuko asked, looking at Jo who's arranging beer for tomorrow night.  
  
"I don't know," Emerald said thoughtfully, sitting on the tabletop. "Well, I think it meant that even if we are beautiful, the insides of us are really…not that beautiful—we all have different pasts, don't we? So it represents Coyote Ugly… sort of."  
  
"Ooh, okay," Fuuko said, nodding. "I so understand you."  
  
"So, Jersey," Jo called.  
  
Fuuko turned to her. "Yep?"  
  
"Come back here tomorrow."  
  
Fuuko grinned. "I'm a Coyote Ugly now?"  
  
"No, not really," Jo said. "Tomorrow will be the second audition. I want Em and Peril to take you shopping for some more…appropriate clothing for Coyote Ugly. If you made it tomorrow night, we'll call you a Coyote."  
  
Fuuko smiles. "Fair enough. So we can go now?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Woohoo!"  
  
***  
  
The next day, sure enough, Emerald arrived at Fuuko's apartment to take her shopping for clothes with Peril. "Come on, it's Jo's treat—she always does that to us when we first came!" Emerald winked. "We'll go to that shop across my apartment. It has all the outrageous clothes you can buy!"  
  
Somehow Fuuko didn't quite like the sound of that… "Okay, let's go."  
  
The day passed by as Fuuko, Emerald and Peril shopped from shop to shop, trying to find something suitable for Fuuko. Their shopping trip ended in success, of course, and Fuuko felt lucky to finally make some friends in New York, even though Peril couldn't really be count as a friend…  
  
That night Fuuko went to the bar, wearing a red hot tank top and a brown leather pants with black boots. She certainly looked different, and her purple hair compliments the outfit. "You looked great," Emerald said, grinning, before she went right back to work.  
  
Fuuko just grinned and hopped onto the table top. She also had fun serving people, as she made up some styles to the mug-filling the night before with her own plastic mugs. It wasn't easy, but Fuuko managed to awe her customers with her "skills". Grinning and smiling, Fuuko's glad her work that night finally paid off, even though she haven't gotten to writing new songs yet. Oh well, no matter.  
  
A man suddenly came into view and sat near the counter. He looked tired but pretty friendly, unlike all of the "tough" crowd in the bar. "What'll you have, sir?" Fuuko asked him, smiling kindly. She knew how hard it is to be him…  
  
"Plain water, please," the man said, sighing.  
  
Fuuko, remembering what Jo had said the other night, looked at him as though he's crazy. Peril smirked. "Well, well, another plain-water customer," she said to Fuuko.  
  
Fuuko, relieved that Peril thought the same, grinned. She took the big megaphone and puts it to her mouth. "H-hey! People!" They actually listened to her! "This—um, this guy just ordered plain water!"  
  
The poor guy looked around, confused. "Do we serve plain water?" she shouted.  
  
"HELL, NO!" shouted the crowd.  
  
Fuuko grinned at the improvement she's making. "So what do we do to people who ordered them?!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
"HELL, we PUNISH them!" the crowd shouted again.  
  
Fuuko, beaming, took the hose Jo took last night and began spraying the guy, who sputtered. "Hey!" the guy said indignantly. "Don't you know who I am?"  
  
Peril began to laugh, and Fuuko, following Peril's "tips", laugh too. But…why isn't Emerald laughing? Instead, Peril had a look of horror on her face. Damn, did she just do something wrong?  
  
"Oh my God!" Jo shouted from the end of the bar.  
  
Fuuko turned to look at Jo, smiling. "I did the right thing, didn't I? He was ordering—"  
  
"Dammit, Jersey!" Jo hollered. "Why'd you spray him?! He's a critique from a newspaper! I'm so sorry, Mr. Kent. I'm so sorry, let's talk about this outside, shall we?" With a glare, Jo leads Mr. Kent outside.  
  
"Oh…my God." Fuuko said. Without another glance at anyone, she quickly went to the back room at the back of the counter of the bar. [Confusing, ne?] She started to cry. Emerald came in. "Em, why did I keep doing things wrong?!" she shouted in exasperation.  
  
"Sssh, hey, it's okay! It's so going to be okay!" Emerald said. "Come on, we can't leave Peril out there alone!"  
  
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Jo bellowed out of nowhere. She marched into the store room, red in the face. "Now he threatens to give us a bad review about the bar! Dammit, Jersey, you're blowing our chance!"  
  
"Can't—can't I do anything?" Fuuko asked shakenly.  
  
"Unless you could make 200 damn f*cking dollars in one night, he'll give us a bad review!" Jo shouted. "Better get your butt out there and do something to get 200 dollars." With that, Jo went out of the store room and to the bar.  
  
Emerald looked at Fuuko. "Um, maybe I could help," she muttered, rummaging in her pocket.  
  
"No!" Fuuko shouted. "I can handle this myself." Fuuko marched out of the store room and to the counter at the bar and looked at the smirking face of Peril. Oh, I'll get her for this… Fuuko thought angrily.  
  
"Hey, Fuuko!"  
  
Fuuko turned to the voice. It was Tokiya. She gasped in exasperation. "What are you doing here?" she asked exasperatedly.  
  
Tokiya grinned. "I finally got some info out on 'Coyote'," he said, waving a piece of paper in front of him. "So much for innocent look…"  
  
Fuuko snorts. "Never judge me, Tokiya."  
  
"Riight." He looked at her. "So…what're you doing?"  
  
"Trying to raise 200 dollars," Fuuko said, thinking.  
  
"Oh…" Tokiya looked at her in sympathy. "Anything I can do to help?"  
  
Fuuko sighed. "I don't—" Her eyes grew wide and then she grinned—a wicked grin, indeed… "Well, Tokiya, maybe you can help me with this! Thanks a lot for offering."  
  
"Wait—"  
  
Before Tokiya could ask what she's doing, she took the megaphone from the table and jumped on top of the table swiftly. She clicked it on. "Hey, people!" she hollered. "I've got something new for ya tonight!"  
  
They quickly looked at her, paying attention. "Get it out, Jersey!" a man shouted, whistling.  
  
Fuuko grinned. "Tonight I present you with our side dish, Mikagami Tokiya!"  
  
"NANII?!" Tokiya shouted.  
  
The crowd hollered and laughed, looking at the man in front of Fuuko. Tokiya looked at Fuuko in disbelief. "That's right, girls! This is a special offer, so don't you let it go!" Fuuko shouted, laughing. "Now we're gonna start auctioning! Starting from 100!"  
  
The crowd went wild. Tokiya went purple. "Nanii ten yo?" he shouted as Emerald aka Yanagi began to laugh.  
  
"150!" a woman shouted from the end of the bar.  
  
"NANII?!" Tokiya shouted again.  
  
"That's right! 150 girls! Come on, he's worth a lot more than that!" Fuuko shouted. Then she pulled Mikagami on to the top of the table beside her. "Tokiya, do a strip tease."  
  
Tokiya almost choked. "You're kidding me, right?" he said.  
  
Fuuko didn't pay attention to him and began to open his coat for him. "Now, this has got to worth more than a hundred and fifty dollars, right?"  
  
A blond shouted out, "170!"  
  
The woman who cried 150 first shouted, "180!"  
  
Fuuko jumped with glee.  
  
"190!" the blonde shouted.  
  
"200, tops!" another woman cried.  
  
"210!" the blonde shouted furiously, shoving her boyfriend aside.  
  
"250!!!" another woman shouted.  
  
The woman who cried 150 shouted, "DAMN YOU!!!"  
  
"Sold!" Fuuko said, grinning. She turned to Tokiya, who had already opened his shirt and his coat; now he's ready to unbuckle his belt. Fuuko blushed. "I'm so thankful you did this for me, Tokiya!"  
  
"Don't mention it," Tokiya grumbled.  
  
"And the gentleman goes to that"—Fuuko pointed to the woman who offered 250—"woman! Enjoy!" Fuuko laughed and winked at the woman and at Tokiya. 


	3. An Inspiration

***Author's Note***  
  
Thanks for your wonderful comments, readers, you know who you are! (Unless you suddenly get amnesia…oh well) This is the third installment aka chapter for my fanfic FoR: Coyote Ugly! Hopefully you'll like it. Even if you don't, I'll keep uploading chapters until this fic is done. For those who don't know the story of Coyote Ugly, shame on you! It's one of the greatest stories every… *sigh* It's so sweet too.  
  
Anyway, on to the disclaimers *grumble, grumble* I don't own Flame of Recca or Coyote Ugly. Although, I do wish I own them… I could really use the money… What's that? Did I hear you offering money to me? Ehehe, anyway I don't make profits from this fanfic, you hear? So don't go suing me! :p  
  
***End of Author's Crazy Rambling***  
  
Fuuko let out a sigh. "250 dollars!" she said, waving the money in front of Jo's eyes, who took 200 dollars from it. "I can't believe I saved our sorry butts out of the gutter!"  
  
"Yeah, well, get over it," Jo said, even though she's smiling. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have gotten the inspiration to…uh…'sell' your friend."  
  
Fuuko grinned devilishly. "I have to," she said. "Besides, he offered."  
  
Emerald aka Yanagi laughed. "Fuuko, you're something else."  
  
Fuuko smiles. At least Yanagi calls her by her name, unlike Jo and Peril, who calls her by the name Jersey so it'll make her sound "tough" enough. Even Yanagi's name is supposed to be Emerald to make it sound more thuggish- like. Fuuko sensed that Peril doesn't like her much… Oh well. Can't help her in that department. She gets off the chair at the bar and puts it up the tabletop. "Well, I need to get going now," Fuuko said. "I'm thinking up new song tunes for my lyrics…"  
  
"See you tomorrow night!" Jo called as Fuuko rushed out of the doors.  
  
Fuuko stopped at the doorway. "Wait…" she said, turning to Jo. "Am I a Coyote now?"  
  
"Definitely," Jo said, smiling for the first time Fuuko had saw her.  
  
"Woohoo!"  
  
***  
  
Fuuko tried to be patient… The song from next-door apartment kept blaring through the walls though… She felt her patience slipping through, and veins popped at her curled fists. If the party next-door doesn't die down, she'll make it die herself… Still the music hits her eardrum.  
  
Fuuko sighed and finally give up—the party won't die down for hours. Never mind that. She took her musical instruments (keyboard and guitar) up to the rooftop with no difficulty, as she's well-built and sets it up there. There. Finally. No interruption whatsoever from her so-called neighbors.  
  
"Loving you, isn't really something I should do," Fuuko muttered to herself. She has the lyrics. The unfortunate matter is to find the tune that fits the damn lyrics. Ah, damn this musician's block. [If there even is one…]  
  
She looks around exasperatedly, as if expecting some angel to appear out of nowhere and help her with her music.  
  
Suddenly she heard more blaring noise of music. Aaargghhh!!! she shouted in her mind. Why can't this stupid party-people shut up?  
  
But then… an inspiration came on to her as she listens to the blaring music… she rush off to the building's "cliff" and hang on to the building. A guy is break-dancing… He's break-dancing to some kind of music… Fuuko felt herself shivering as she finally gets her tune. "Yatta!" she shouted.  
  
She rushed off to her keyboard and plays a few keys, and then recorded the whole thing. After that she took a radio from her room and recorded her playing her guitar alongside with the recorded keyboard… She grins. So someone did give her inspirations. "Thank God!"  
  
Fuuko went to the building's "cliff" again and looked through the window of the guy who gave her the tune. "THANK YOU!!!" she shouted.  
  
The guy stopped dancing and fell. "Oops…" Fuuko said, chuckling. The guy waved back to her and gave her a thumbs-up sign.  
  
"Oh, you don't know how much it meant to me!" Fuuko shouted, smiling and waving as she returns to her instruments.  
  
***  
  
The next day Fuuko went shopping—for clothes, musical instruments, and more clothes! She stopped by the musical instruments shop first, of course. A salesman got her interested in a laptop computer that operates its own recording system and could adjust the level, volume or anything of the sorts. Fuuko, of course, immediately became interested. With the payment she got from being a "Coyote", she bought the laptop. She also bought tons of CDs for recording.  
  
"Thanks again!" Fuuko said to the salesman. The salesman was grinning ear to ear—it's not everyday that a girl bought off musical instrument in his shop.  
  
Next Fuuko stopped by an album store—she loves music and she was inspired by other music too. She bought about 12 or more CDs that belongs to various artists. She could feel herself inspired again. In her head, lyrics to a new song began to form itself automatically.  
  
After that, of course, Fuuko shopped for clothes. She bought clothes that would suit for the bar and clothes that she usually wore [read: loose t- shirts and spunky high heels! ~.^] She had fun shopping that day. She could feel herself becoming more and more confident and comfortable living in New York.  
  
Back at home, Fuuko began recording new songs on her new laptop with the assistance of her musical instruments, her keyboard and guitar. New ideas jumped in her head like eggs that are about to hatch. ^^ She finally finished recording about 10 CDs that she decided to send off to every recording company she knows. That night, Fuuko went to work, feeling a lot better than she always does.  
  
***  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Fuuko?"  
  
"Who's this?" Fuuko asked suspiciously.  
  
"It's Tokiya, the guy you auctioned at a bar…? Remember me?" Tokiya said playfully.  
  
"Oh!" Fuuko said, laughing. "Oh, hi. What's up?"  
  
"Just want to found out what's up with you," he said. "I've tried to find you at that bar again—couldn't tear you off the tabletop though… What's that annoying music playing in the background?"  
  
Fuuko scowled. "That's my music and my voice, excuse me."  
  
Tokiya laughed. "Oh, it sounds so beautiful!"  
  
"Yeah, sure," Fuuko said, rolling her eyes. "So what do you really want?"  
  
"Honestly, you sang, wrote and coordinate that song?" Tokiya asked, sounding incredulous.  
  
Fuuko sighed, realizing that she'll never stop Tokiya from changing the subject. "Yes, why is that so hard to believe?" she asked, a little peeved. If this guy knows what's good for him, he'd stop insulting her…  
  
"Relax, relax," Tokiya said, and she could hear him laughing. "Wow… you have a good voice."  
  
Fuuko's veins popped up. She clicked "off" on her computer and the music stopped. "So, what do you really want? No crap or no changing subjects either!" she shouted.  
  
"Yowch!" Tokiya said. "Dammit, Fuuko, relax. So why aren't you singing at the bar instead of doing what you're doing?"  
  
Fuuko sighed. "Don't laugh…" she said—he did change the subject, damn him. "But I have stage fright. I can only perform when no one's watching… Why are you laughing? I swear, if I were there with you I'd break your neck! I'm serious! Stop laughing! Shut up!"  
  
"Stage fright, huh?" Tokiya said as the laughter went down. "Then I know how to help you."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I'll come over, you just wait there," Tokiya said. Before Fuuko could protest, Tokiya hung up.  
  
"Damn you," Fuuko said, laughing at the receiver. What was so funny, she doesn't know.  
  
True to his words, Tokiya arrived a few minutes later. "Hey," he said, red- faced. "So you're ready, right?" he said.  
  
"Yeah," Fuuko said. "So what are we doing? Hey, stopped pulling me!"  
  
Tokiya grasped Fuuko's wrist and pulled her out of her apartment and they found themselves walking to a place God knows where. "Hey, Tokiya, what are we doing? Where are we going?" Fuuko asked, thoroughly confused by the whole situation. "Why aren't you answering me?" she asked, annoyed. "I swear, if this is one of your payback because I—"  
  
"Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me of that," Tokiya said, laughing.  
  
Fuuko blushed. "Oh, sorry about that incident," she said sheepishly. "I have to have a surefire way to get 200 dollars, you know?"  
  
"By selling me?" Tokiya questioned. "You sure have a weird idea of a 'surefire way to get 200 dollars'."  
  
Fuuko blushed again. "Shut up and lead the way."  
  
"Happy to." Tokiya smirked, looking at Fuuko at the corner of his eyes. They finally stopped in front of a deserted looking building. Before Fuuko could throw anymore questions or insults, they entered the building and go to a dark-looking room. "So here we are."  
  
Fuuko didn't know what to say. "Um…what's this supposed to be?"  
  
In front of her are cardboards of all the considered "famous" people of the year 2002. George Bush, Britney Spears [ugh, gross], Elvis [aren't you dead, Elvis?!], and lots of other famous people. Thankfully it's not the real people.  
  
"What the hell's the meaning of this?" Fuuko wondered out loud.  
  
Tokiya smirked. "Jeez, patience…" he said. He led her to a keyboard and smiles. "Sit."  
  
"What's this all about?" Fuuko repeated.  
  
"Oh, come on, you can't be that suspicious of me…" said Tokiya, smirking again. Somehow Fuuko felt like punching him on his pretty face or tearing his silver hair out of his scalp…  
  
Fuuko sighed and sat down on the bench in front of the keyboard. "O-kay. What am I supposed to do now?" she asked to no one in particular. "Am I supposed to play my song on the keyboard and sang to it?"  
  
Tokiya snapped his fingers. "Aren't you sharp?" he said jokingly. "Come on—you've got audience! Even the president came to see you! Sing! Smile! You make his world…" Again, the latter smirked. That seemed to be his favorite activity. Well, not if his mouth is tore off, Fuuko thought darkly.  
  
Fuuko sighed. "I can't," she said.  
  
"Why not?" Tokiya frowned. "The audiences aren't alive…"  
  
"You are," Fuuko answered smartly.  
  
"Ehehe…" Tokiya said, grinning. "Come on! Shouldn't the heart-beating thing make you more…um…I don't know, nervous and makes you want to perform more and more?" He sounded so unsure of himself Fuuko almost laughed.  
  
But Fuuko didn't. Her heart is indeed hammering… Why, though? Why is it beating so fast? Maybe it's because she's thinking of performing for an audience… but that's not the reason. Tokiya looked so different tonight—he always wore coats before, but now that he looked more relaxed… Could this be attraction that she's feeling for Tokiya?  
  
Hell, it is attraction, thought Fuuko.  
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Tokiya joked.  
  
Fuuko snapped out of her trance. She got up from the bench and smiles. "For your information my heart is beating faster… and it's not because of the performance either."  
  
Tokiya look at Fuuko interestedly as Fuuko unbuttoned her sweatshirt. "My body's scorching…for you…"  
  
***Author's Note: Those words are so not mine—it really is from the movie Coyote Ugly and it's kinda corny… ^^ Oh well, I guess that's what make it so sweet. Keep on reading***  
  
Fuuko beamed—last night's memory still fresh in her mind. It had been great last night. She hasn't really thought about Tokiya in that way but after last night…well, it's a change of the heart.  
  
She returned to the bar and smiles. "Hey, what's keeping you happy?" Emerald aka Yanagi said, grinning. "What happened last night?"  
  
"Oh…I got lucky."  
  
Emerald laughed. "Yeah, well, Recca's been mad we haven't seen each other for quite a while—last night was good."  
  
"Okay, girls, it's show time, no chitchat," Peril said, smirking.  
  
Fuuko smiles. "All right, all right."  
  
She walked to the counter and hopped onto the tabletop. She began dancing to the tune and smiling at Emerald and Peril. Even though Peril doesn't show any sign that she approved of Fuuko, she's relenting. Peril served the customers swiftly.  
  
Then she heard noises. "What the hell?"  
  
Fight had erupted between two men and the crowd began chanting for fights. "Dammit!" Jo shouted. She took the pipe hose and sprayed it to the fighting crowd. "Stop! Stop it! Peril, stop them!"  
  
Peril goes to the other side of the bar and tried to stop them. "Help! Jo!" Emerald suddenly shouted as the crowd began to pick her up and brought her to the other side of the bar.  
  
"Shit!" Jo shouted. "Dammit, put her down! Peril!"  
  
Peril's fighting off the crowd who's trying to carry her of too.  
  
Fuuko looked at them in horror. The crowd's gone wild, trying to grope Peril and Emerald, who are shouting for them to stop and shouting for help. Jo's still spraying the crowd with the hose. Fuuko looked at them in exasperation. "Stop it!" she cried out shrilly. Nobody listened to her. "Stop it, dammit!"  
  
Still no one paid attention to her. She finally heard a song on the Jukebox. It's her favorite song…maybe…maybe this will work. Hopefully so… She took a microphone off a table at the counter and switches it on.  
  
"'Can't take my eyes of off you'," Fuuko began singing shakily. "'You're just like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much…'"  
  
Her singing succeeded in stopping the fight. They watched her as she sings to a spicier tune than that and dance alongside with it. Soon Peril and Emerald joins her, with Jo in control and the crowd stopped fighting… Fuuko had overcome her fear of singing in front of the crowd…  
  
***  
  
"That was so good, Fuuko!" Emerald said, laughing. "You stopped the fighting."  
  
"That was a good move," agreed Jo, grinning while cleaning up.  
  
"Oh, big deal—she's just singing out of other people's song," Peril said.  
  
Fuuko laughed. "I don't really care if I sing other people's song," she said. "I overcame my greatest fear—singing in front of the crowd… It felt so great!"  
  
"Good for you," Jo said encouragingly. "You know what? We should do that! Singing and dancing—that sounds better than just dancing… So what do you all say?"  
  
The girls agreed.  
  
  
  
***End of Chapter 3***  
  
Heh, I'm sorry if that was out of chronological order, but I can't help it anyway—I've forgotten most of the story order, but some of them are still clear in my mind. Anyway, enjoy the fic. Chapter 4 and the rest are going to come up because I have the whole week off (Regents test!), hehehe. Okay. Enjoy. Until next time. Ja ne! 


	4. And Disaster Strikes Duh

***Author's Notes***  
  
Well. what can I say? Gomen, gomen, GOMEEENNN!!! ^^; Seriously, it's been, like. a year probably that I haven't continued this? (Or any other of my fics, for that matter) I just haven't the time and the inspiration to continue all of my fics, so sorry for that. Not that it matters too much, ne?  
  
I'm very much aware that Tokiya's so out of character but what else can I do? ^^; If you don't like the way he's acting, then just. black it out or something! xD;; Anyways, please R&R Doy, I hope that I remember the plot of Coyote Ugly -_-; Plus I'll be adding scenes and editing them according to where they seem appropriate ^_~  
  
***End***  
  
The success of Fuuko's "experiment" in singing was inspiring everyone and Coyote Ugly was more fun than Fuuko had ever thought. Even Peril seemed to be mellowing down to her a little. Thank God, I don't like being hated, Fuuko thought, singing to Do As Infinity's "Faces". [A little Japanese song there ^_~ Great song, too. Listen to it.]  
  
"What the hell is this song?" Peril asked, a little peeved. Well. even if she did hate me, I guess it's better now that I have Jo on my side, Fuuko thought again, grinning.  
  
"Whatever it is, it's entertaining the customers, huh?" Jo said, filling in mugs with drinks.  
  
"That's right," Emerald said, grinning and sharing a secret smile with Fuuko. After all, she and Fuuko had been from the same origin and country. How could she forget her Japanese culture?  
  
Fuuko grinned and continued singing. "Itsu muboubi jidaimedatte, oshieraretano~"  
  
As she continued singing, her eyes were temporarily blinded by the flashing of a camera. She blinked, not sure if she's still able to see. Making sure she's not blind, she continued singing although she was careful not to fall of the bar table. Who the heck would take my picture? she thought incredulously. For all she know, it might be Tokiya, but then again, he's not the type to gush all over her like that.  
  
"That's the critics again," Jo hollered over the noise. "You better be on your best behavior."  
  
With that, the song ended, and Fuuko snorted. "Best behavior? You've got to be kidding me! Sure, all the mommies would want their daughters to dance on table top and wearing these clothes."  
  
"Well, excuse me, I happen to like and own a lot of these kind of clothes," Jo snapped back, grinning. "Oh, you'll get used to all these nutcases trying to take your pictures anyway. How come your boobs are so big?"  
  
"What the hell?!" Fuuko yelled, slapping Jo with a wet towel she had used to clean the table at first.  
  
"Don't tell me your boyfriend haven't said anything about that," Jo said devilishly.  
  
Fuuko blushed and slapped another wet towel at Jo.  
  
"Speaking about boyfriends, don't you ever bring him in here. Who knows what'll happen?" Jo said. "That's a rule, y'know."  
  
Emerald nodded. "Yeah, don't ever cross that rule. I'm serious. Recca stumbled in here once, and. well, that did not go well, lemme tell you that."  
  
Fuuko snorts. "Eh, I don't think Tokiya's very possessive like that."  
  
"He's a babe, though," Peril said, joining in the conversation.  
  
"Ahem~" Fuuko said, grinning and sticking her tongue out. "Go get your own Oriental babe, girl."  
  
Peril grinned devilishly. "They'd be running to me, actually."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, get to work, we don't want the critics to say we're slacking off," Jo growled, back in business mode.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Fuuko jumped on top of the table once again. Sigh, I cleaned it too. Why do I even bother? she thought. Dancing and smiling for the camera, she waved over to a few "regulars" at the bar as she "struts her stuff".  
  
Little did she know her father was witnessing all her work going on.  
  
When she finally noticed him, she realized that it was too late and he's seriously pissed. Oh, shit!  
  
"Sorry, Jo, gotta go for a sec!" Fuuko ran out of the bar as Jo shouted at her, "It better not be about Tokyo or whatever his name is!"  
  
Fuuko was too worried to care.  
  
***  
  
"DAD!" she yelled into the phone. She had been unable to reach him when she ran out of the bar. How the heck his dad learned how to run faster than she did, she has no idea. "Come on, don't stay silent on me. It's awkward."  
  
"Like hell it is. Seeing you dance in that place's awkward."  
  
"Dad," she said pleadingly. "You can't be serious! I finally found a job that I'm good at and I thought that I finally fit in. You can't do this to me."  
  
"A job that you're good at?!" her dad bellowed. "Since when did I teach you to become a total slut?"  
  
"GOD, dad!" she said, exasperate. "It's. just a job. It's not like I sleep with every customer or something like that."  
  
She can imagine her dad's face right now. "Don't. You. Ever. Say. That. Again."  
  
"I won't if you forgive me."  
  
He snorted.  
  
She groaned. "I know you're falling apart right now. You're probably eating fried chicken or something when you're not supposed to," she said accusingly, grinning and trying to see if it's hopeless.  
  
"Uh. well. hmm, I think I hear Perry calling me," he said, scoffing. His tone was still cold. He hung up.  
  
"." Fuuko groaned. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! Gah. I can't believe him."  
  
She slammed the phone down, frustrated. "Ack, I'm late for job." Not that it matters anyways, Fuuko thought, rolling her eyes. When has it ever matter?  
  
She arrived at Coyote Ugly and once again did her "routine" and singing along to jukeboxes. That's all she could ever do-she never really did overcome her stage fright, she found out. She tried singing her song once in front of the bar and she couldn't do it. The words wouldn't come out. Maybe she's just meant to sing along with the jukebox. Maybe they were destined for each other. Maybe.  
  
Frank, one of the regulars, managed to get up on the bar table and was dancing with Fuuko before she realized it was happening. "Hey, hey, hey, stay back and get off the table top, mister," she said, grinning evilly. "You're not allowed here."  
  
Frank just laughed and Fuuko realized with disgust that the guy's drunk. As usual. There's a bad side to serving these people. she thought, trying to push Frank away from her. He's dangerously closing on her as she's trying to follow the melody of the song. "Dude, this girl's out of your league! Get off the table," Fuuko yelled as Frank put his hands on her hips. She laughed as his hands brushed her ticklish side and almost fell over doing so. She managed to grasp his shoulders just before he fell and got right back up.  
  
Only to find that Tokiya's looking at her as if he'd just been betrayed.  
  
Her face went pale. He couldn't be misunderstanding me with this guy! she yelled inwardly. You've got to be kidding me! You have more sense than that, Tokiya, she pleaded desperately.  
  
Unfortunately, he doesn't. He rushed out of the bar as her face fell.  
  
Jo caught on what was going on and she immediately frowned as she sees Fuuko (or Jersey, by her standard) runs out of the bar. She's not pleased.  
  
***  
  
"Not you, too!" Fuuko screamed on the streets as she stopped running after Tokiya.  
  
Tokiya's back was facing her and she couldn't see his expression very well. She decided that he's not too pleased with what he saw. Dammit! First, dad, and now him? She groaned inwardly.  
  
"Look, I wasn't doing anything with him, all right; what you saw was merely a stupid misunderstanding!" Fuuko claimed, annoyed. "It's probably a scene you could easily find in a stupid romance movie."  
  
Tokiya finally faced her and she was right, he wasn't pleased. "Do you think I would be that stupid?" he said coldly. "Do you think it's fun to see your girlfriend being cozy with a regular in her working place?"  
  
"No, I don't, but I wouldn't know because I don't have a girlfriend," Fuuko said derisively, rolling her eyes. She's getting tired of being melodramatic, and she opted for being sarcastic for now. He's not being serious, is he? Is he that stupid? "Tokiya, what you saw is exactly what you saw-nothing more than that. I fell and he happens to be near me so I grabbed him, all right?"  
  
Tokiya snorts. "If you'd been that close to him in your work place, then imagine what happens outside work."  
  
Fuuko's face turned white immediately after that remark. Is he hinting that she's a slut? That she sleeps with every other customer just so that she could fit in with the job? That she would do anything for money? Her face burns with embarrassment at the realization of his accusation and it also boils with anger at his implications. Didn't all the time that they spent together meant anything to him?  
  
"FINE!" Fuuko screamed. "Whatever! Think whatever you want, I won't even try to stop you." With that she turned on her heels and stormed back into the bar.  
  
"Jersey!" Fuuko's head spun around to see Jo glaring at her. "I told you to keep him out of this place. I don't care if he's going to bring this place more money-if it means that he's going to throw a stupid tantrum, then he's not welcomed."  
  
Fuuko, annoyed, felt that she could've killed someone-ANYONE-right there, right then. "UGH!" she screamed. "EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART. I quit!"  
  
Jo looked at Fuuko's retreating back in disbelief as she screamed in frustration and yelled at some people who even looked at her.  
  
***Author's Ramblings***  
  
Sorry if that was short and whatever ^^; I'm really busy, plus I shouldn't even be on right now, blablabla. Hope you enjoyed that. Review, onegai? 


	5. Almost Near the End Now

***Author's Ramblings***  
  
Wai, wai, people are actually reading my fic! ^_^ I'm so happy with your reviews, minna, that I decided to continue with the next chapter. And one of the reviewers make a very good point about everything going wrong with Fuuko-chan. Don't get me wrong, I love Fuuko-chan and I wouldn't wanna be in her shoes or put her in them but that's just how this fic/story goes, gomen ^^; But anyways!  
  
I don't think I've given copyrights at all o_O Not that it matters, does it? Well, anyways! Flame of Recca is not mine, neither is Coyote Ugly, or any of the lyrics of the songs that I've put in here for that matter. All of them belong to their respectable owners and I'm just borrowing them yadda yadda yadda. But anyways. Moving on~  
  
***END***  
  
After what she had gone through, Fuuko didn't think she'd be able to get on with today. Getting up was especially hard for her. Memories of last night's events came rushing back into her head as though they're trying to haunt and taunt her. Geh, everything's going wrong, Fuuko thought, gritting her teeth while she's trying to wash her face. I would've thought God would reward me for my hard work, but noooo.  
  
"Well, guess there's nothing else to do except to work on my music," Fuuko claimed to herself. It felt silly to talk to herself, but eh. It's not like there's anyone there to hear her. Sitting down at her chair, she pondered a while about her songs. "I've recorded a few, sent them to a few recording companies. well, I think that's all that I should do. Now I just have to wait for their response, which is freaking slow!" She shouted the last sentence at the phone, even though that's kinda pointless.  
  
Ring, ring.  
  
"Eh?" @_@  
  
Ring, ring.  
  
"Are you serious?!" Falling out of her chair trying to reach the phone, Fuuko quickly got up and tried to answer her phone. "H-hello?"  
  
"Hi, Miss Fuuko Kirisawa [remember that they don't pronounce last name first like the Japanese does]? Hi, I'm calling on behalf of the XYZ Company [hey, don't laugh], and we really like your song, Can't Fight Under the Moonlight. We hope that you can make it to our club on Saturday night so that we could let the world hear it."  
  
Fuuko could barely believe it. "Saturday night? .When?" With that, she scrambled to get a pen nearby and almost fell again.  
  
***  
  
Things were beginning to take a better turn after that phone call that she'd received. Masuki had called her after that, and she'd told her the shocking news that she was getting married. ("How the hell did I not know about this???" "Ahahaha, gomen, Fuuko-chan!") Fuuko's going to her wedding, obviously. When she did arrive at the wedding, she saw her father, as well as he could be, laughing about something. "He never changes," she said to Masuki and smiled.  
  
"Doesn't he?" Masuki giggled. "I can't believe I'm married! Kyaaa!"  
  
"OK, relax, jeez," Fuuko said, grinning. "Why do girls make so much fuss about that anyways?"  
  
"Fuuko-chan, don't tell me you don't want to get married one of these days!" Masuki claimed. "I mean, we're already 22! You can't possibly not be thinking about it, huh? Come on, I'm sure you have some lover back there in New York."  
  
Fuuko blushed. That wasn't what she's supposed to be remembering. "Ah, look, your husband's searching for you," Fuuko said, and stuck her tongue out. With that, she went to the buffet table and drowned a glass of punch. "Bah. It's bad enough that I'm in a dress," Fuuko said, blushing still.  
  
"Dad!" Fuuko claimed when she realized that her dad's just in front of her. "How are you doing?" D'oh, what a stupid question.  
  
Her dad just shrugged.  
  
That's not what she was going for. She hurries in front of him and curtsied. "May I have this dance?"  
  
Her father, seeing that she wouldn't back down even if she's put into an electric chair, sighed and lead her to the dance floor and began to dance with her. Fuuko smiles. "I missed you dad," she said, hugging him.  
  
"You hurt me a lot, Fuuko," he responded.  
  
"If it's about the job or whatever, dad, I've quit, all right?" Fuuko said. "You don't have to worry about it anymore. I think I can find a better job."  
  
"It's not that," her father said, a sad look in his eyes. "It's just that. well. your mom. She's exactly like you. She loves singing more than everything else. I didn't like it. I tried to stop her from singing, and she did, just because she's so much in love with me.  
  
"It didn't work out well when your mother died though. I felt like I was trapping her in a bird cage, not letting her talent out just because of my selfishness. Seeing you singing there just brought back memories. And some unpleasant thoughts," her dad said, shuddering.  
  
"DAD!" Fuuko said, slapping her dad on his breast. "What the hell are you thinking?"  
  
"Mind your language, Fuuko o_O," he said, chuckling.  
  
Fuuko grinned. Her dad's back. Everything's going fine after all.  
  
Fuuko grimaced. Except for one thing.  
  
***  
  
She dialed the last number and paused. Should I really be doing this? Fuuko thought to herself. Calling this guy is probably going to be the hardest thing that I'm doing.  
  
She redialed his number again.  
  
Ring, ring.  
  
Ring, ring.  
  
Ring, ring.  
  
"Hi, this is Tokiya, he's not in right now, so leave a message after the- what the heck? Augh, crap."  
  
Beep.  
  
Fuuko giggled.  
  
Then she hung up the phone when someone picked it up. "Oh, god," she said to herself, exasperated.  
  
***  
  
She gripped her hands tighter. She was determined to make this right-she doesn't want to lose him. He's too much important to her. To lose him over a stupid misunderstanding would be pretty stupid. She's at Tokiya's apartment right now, and God knows what kind of reaction he's going to show when he sees her in front of him.  
  
Should I? Fuuko thought. Argh, I gotta, or my name's definitely not Fuuko.  
  
With that resolute thought, she took more steps and-  
  
"Oh, this is wonderful!"  
  
Fuuko stiffens and paused at the stairs.  
  
"Are you sure it would be all right if I went right in?" a girl said, smiling up at Tokiya.  
  
Tokiya just smiles at her. "You're here, aren't you?"  
  
He's giving her the smile he used to gave me. The realization hit her with a blow. What's the meaning of this?  
  
"Get in, what are you waiting for?"  
  
Fuuko just hurried down the stairs as fast as she could.  
  
***  
  
"Wow, this house is great!" Claire said.  
  
Tokiya just smiles. "Isn't it?"  
  
"It's ashamed to be selling it to me, are you sure you want to do this?" Claire said, her eyes glittery and smiling.  
  
"Pretty much yeah," Tokiya said, toying with the telephone cord. He checked his message.  
  
What seemed to be a message was a girl giggling.  
  
"Uh. o_O What was that?" Claire asked.  
  
Tokiya sweatdropped. "I don't know. Sounds familiar though." He deleted the message. Useless. Although that was kinda funny. "So when's your boyfriend coming home to New York?"  
  
"Oh, he's coming home pretty soon," Claire responded, giggling at the thought of it. "I can't wait! And then I'll show him this lovely house that you're selling me. ^_^"  
  
"Yeah, be sure to mention to him that I'm giving this at a low price," Tokiya said, smiling. He's used to the fake smile by now.  
  
***END of Chapter 5***  
  
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  
  
Okay, so that wasn't a cliffhanger. So? :P Whatcha gonna do about it, huh? Huh? Huh? Well, you guys are probably, like, "Blah, I know what happened next, so mwahahaha." :P Anyways.  
  
I just felt like that was an appropriate ending for the chapter ^_^. Chapter 6 (and possibly the last) will probably come soon~! Wish for it, ne? Reviewing would also be a nice booster if you want the next chapter *g* 


	6. Let's Get Things Straighten Out Now Shal...

*Author's Notes: Okie dokie, here it is, the next installment of my ficcie. This is going to be the second last part to the fic, so enjoy it while it lasted! Err, forgive me if I screw it up, I hope I didn't.  
  
*****  
  
Fuuko was even more determined than ever to make it big in the entertainment world after she "stumbled" upon the revelation that Tokiya has moved on even faster than lightning speed. After that phone call from the XYZ Company, she's bound to show those people what she's made of. And she's going to make Tokiya feel sorry that he ever dumped her for some other bimbo. Okay, so the girl was pretty, but still.  
  
Fuuko's lips turn into a frown as she tried to push the picture of Tokiya kissing the girl out of her mind. No. Not this time. She's not going to let Tokiya get to her. He could go to hell for all she cares.  
  
Her phone rings.  
  
She fought for her life to reach to the phone as fast as she could even though she's racing with virtually no one. "Moshi moshi?!" she practically shouted into the phone.  
  
"Huh, didn't think you'd be that excited to hear from little old nobody me," said a familiar voice at the other end.  
  
"Oh," Fuuko said, sighing. "Hi, Masuki."  
  
"Jeez, try to contain your excitement," Masuki said. Fuuko could practically see Masuki rolling her eyes at wherever she is.  
  
"Why are you calling me?" Fuuko asked suspiciously. "Is something wrong? Is your husband treating you bad? You tell me what's wrong and I'll beat him to a pulp."  
  
"Whoa!" Masuki laughed. "Hold your horses. It's not about him." Masuki's voice went deliriously high. "You didn't tell me that you actually have an audition at a record company!!!"  
  
Fuuko raised her eyebrows, even though Masuki couldn't see it. "Wha-?" Fuuko gaped like a goldfish. "How-how did you know about it?"  
  
Masuki lets out an exasperated sigh. "Oh my God, don't tell me you've been keeping this away from me! You're so cruel! To imagine that you're my best friend! Did you know that I found out from the paper? It had your name on it! In big bold letters too!"  
  
Fuuko blushed. "Don't exaggerate, hun, I know you're trying to make me blush." And you've succeeded too.  
  
"I'm not exaggerating! It's there!" Masuki giggled. "How can you not tell me about it?! I'm definitely coming! Oooh, it'll be so much fun, they're going to love you, Fuuko!"  
  
Fuuko's lips trembled. Now that the truth is out, she's so glad that someone else finally knows about it. She can now talk to Masuki about it and Masuki in return could ensure her out of her insecurities. "I love you, Masuki!"  
  
Masuki just laughed. "Where the hell did that come from?"  
  
"I don't know, I'm just glad you're my best friend," Fuuko said, grinning. "Well, save your breath," Masuki said, suddenly going serious. "You do know that I'm probably going to tell your dad right?"  
  
"Okay, now I hate you."  
  
*****  
  
She hated working at the diner, but she had no other choice. She's just going to wait an anticipate about the gig she'd gotten from the XYZ company that she can barely concentrate on writing more songs. For now, she'd work here for part time just to get extra cash to spend on some new clothes. New clothes for the big night, it sounded too good to be true.  
  
A new customer came in. Fuuko plastered on a smile and looked up. "Welcome to-"  
  
Her words died in her throat as she realized who the customer is. It's Jo.  
  
"Hey, Jersey." Jo grinned, pretending as if nothing had ever happened between them.  
  
"Hey," Fuuko muttered. "So, what'll you have?"  
  
"What's the specials?"  
  
Somehow Fuuko doubted that Jo was really there to eat and was surprised Jo was even asking her that kind of question. "Uh. some Happy Omelet. Did you know that today is an Omelet day?"  
  
Jo lets out a chuckle. Then they both fell into an uncomfortable silence. Jo grunted something out.  
  
"I'm sorry?" Fuuko said, raising up one eyebrow.  
  
"I said, I'm sorry," Jo said, sighing. "I know you didn't deserve the crap that I threw at you and stuff. I guess. well. I'm just stressed out 'cause I've built Coyote Ugly from scratch you know? I don't want anyone messing it up, you know? It's my blood and tears there."  
  
Fuuko sighed. "It's not like I have a choice, of course I forgive you." Fuuko continued to scrub the tables. "Somehow I doubt that you're just here because you wanted to apologize."  
  
Jo grinned. "Yeah, well. You know me too well," she said. "I heard you got a gig, so I came by to say congrats and all. All that singing finally paid off, right?" Great. So now practically everyone she knows know about the gig.  
  
Fuuko just smiles back at her-sincerely, this time. "Yeah," she said. "And I wouldn't be where I am right now if it wasn't for Coyote Ugly, huh?" Fuuko grinned, not wanting to be over melodramatic or even sappy.  
  
"Yeah." Jo gave her a wistful smile. "Well, I guess there isn't really any point into asking you to work there again, then. You're probably gonna make it big, huh?" Fuuko scoffs. "I'm not too sure about that. You've seemed to have forgotten a little bit of my stage fright."  
  
Jo quickly waves that off. "Yeah, right, you'll do fine!"  
  
Fuuko laughed. "Thanks, Jo. Sorry I almost screwed up your bar."  
  
"That's okay," Jo said, grinning. "I mean, I've worked hard for it. But I don't think you screwed it up or anything. It's been fine. We're still getting good reviews for the place. You know, I'm kind of proud of ya."  
  
"Why?" Fuuko said, curious.  
  
"Well, you come from. well. this place," Jo said, indicating the location of the diner. "And you adjusted fine since you came to New York. It's kind of admirable. You're like me."  
  
Fuuko raised both of her eyebrows at that. "Huh, what do you mean by that? You're not from some lame countryside [Editor: no offence] or anything."  
  
Jo grinned. "Wrong."  
  
*****  
  
"DAD!" Fuuko exclaimed. "You don't have to come with us! I'm going to be fine!" Fuuko gives Masuki a pointed look, and Masuki grinned apologetically.  
  
"Bullshit!" Fuuko's dad practically beamed. "You know damn well that I'm so happy for you I could cry. Of course, that would just crush my ego, so I won't. XYZ Company today, Hollywood tomorrow!"  
  
Fuuko rolled her eyes. "Hollywood's basically for acting labels, dad." Shows you just how much her dad knows about the showbiz.  
  
Fuuko's dad coughed. "Right, I knew that. I'm just trying to offer you a lot more option than singing!"  
  
Fuuko leered at her dad. "Uh-huh," she said. "Now shut up and let me drive." She grinned fondly at Masuki and her dad. Despite of her many protests, she's actually glad they're coming. It gives her more of an extra support. And she needed support.  
  
"It's going to be awesome!" Masuki said, grinning. "Ne, Fuuko, why don't you drive faster or something? I mean, it's almost 9!"  
  
"I'm trying," Fuuko said, biting her lip. "I don't understand why is it that it's suddenly extremely busy on the road when we want to arrive somewhere faster!" she said, frustrated. Finally they made it to the toll.  
  
"Hey, Dan!" Fuuko's dad said to the toll booth's worker, grinning. "My daughter's getting an important gig today, would you mind doing some magic works, huh?"  
  
Dan grinned and put a thumbs up.  
  
As soon as Fuuko passed the booth [blushing furiously as she does so], fireworks and sparks came out of nowhere (well, not literally) and brightened up the night. Fuuko laughed as Masuki clapped. This is going to turn out fine after all.  
  
*****  
  
*Author's Notes: Woohoo! Almost done! Finally! Have you been wondering what's with the hold up for the fanfic? ^^;; I know I did. Stupid brain wouldn't work, plus I've been infinitely busy. But anyways, hopefully I can get the next one out quickly. For those who have seen the movie, are you enjoying the fic? ^^; I hope you are! I've tried my best. 


	7. Of Course, A Happy Sappy Ending

*Author's Notes:  
  
Well. This is it. The last chapter. Sappy ending ahoy, so if you hate those kind of endings. You've been warned. So. Uh, I can't really do anything about sappy ending. I'm a sap. What can I say? ^^;  
  
I'm rambling again. Enjoy the last installment of this fic!  
  
*****  
  
"Meh, I'm nervous," Fuuko said. Her hands gripped tightly at the steering wheel in front of her. They've finally arrived there. But strangely, Fuuko doesn't feel like moving. "I don't think I can go in there you guys!" Her stage fright is finally taking place.  
  
Masuki lets out a groan of exasperation. "Come on, Fuuko!" she half- screamed. She got out of her back seat and opens the door to the driver's seat. "Out!" She dragged Fuuko into the place, with Fuuko's dad following closely behind them.  
  
"Oh, man, what if I screw up?" Fuuko whimpered. "What if I just froze once I arrive up there?! I'm going to suck, Masuki. Take me home, take me home! I don't want to go on with this."  
  
"You can and you're going to," Masuki growled.  
  
Fuuko's eyes widened at Masuki's sudden persuasiveness.  
  
"Now go get on stage, they're already announcing your name," Masuki groaned again.  
  
It was true-they're calling for Fuuko up on the stage. It feels weird to listen to your name being announced on stage. Even weirder if you're supposed to go up there when they announce your name. Shakily, Fuuko finally made her way up to the stage, trembling as she accepted the microphone the announcer gave to her.  
  
As she faced the crowd, she could make out several familiar faces. Her dad, Masuki, Jo, Emerald, Peril. even the old crew of Coyote Ugly came! Fuuko's heart thudded a bit as she realized that Tokiya didn't come.  
  
Fuuko thought resignedly. She mentally kicked herself in the head after she thought about that.   
  
Fuuko grinned to the crowd, suddenly regaining her strength from all the support she received from her friends. "Hi, guys," she said, grinning. "I know you guys came here for good music, so here I am! I'm going to sing a demo song from one of my own creation, Can't Fight the Moonlight. I hope you guys enjoy it!"  
  
With that, the crowd cheered and whistled.  
  
Fuuko smiles.  
  
Her smile quickly faltered as the music starts and she realized with paralyzed fear that she had forgotten the lyrics!  
  
thought Fuuko.   
  
Even when the intro to the song had finished, she's still not singing a single note. At first the crowd was puzzled at what they're hearing (or not hearing) and threw puzzled looks amongst each other. After a while, Fuuko kept being silent, and the crowd finally grew relentless and began to throw insults to Fuuko.  
  
"Hey, lady, would you start already?!" a man exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, give us something good!" another one chirped in.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, just standing there?" a woman shouted.  
  
Fuuko began to panic. What's she supposed to do now? She guessed that she doesn't really have a million of choices there. She better get off the stage before they actually start throwing tomatoes or something at her. "I'm-uh."  
  
Suddenly the dim lights-the only lights-in the place went out. Even the lights that's focusing on the stage.  
  
Fuuko felt even more panicked when that happened, but then realized that she couldn't see the crowd. Strangely, she felt relieved that she couldn't see anything. Somehow once she couldn't see anyone, she could sing. It felt like she's singing to herself.  
  
And then she realized with a jolt that the only person who knew that was Tokiya.  
  
Her eyes darted hurriedly to where the lights' controller is and saw-  
  
she thought, feeling a smile crept up to her face as tears stung at the back of her eyes. No, she's not about to cry over something as stupid as this. But she saw that he smiled back. Even in the darkness, Fuuko could make out Tokiya's beautiful smile. An open, honest smile that he rarely wore.  
  
And with that, Fuuko started singing.  
  
*****  
  
"WOO!" the man next to Peril shouted as Fuuko began to sing. "Go girl!"  
  
Peril gave a snort of disgust and kicked the man's chair until he fell to the ground. Looking puzzled, the man blushed.  
  
Peril snorted, this time with derisive glee.  
  
Jo rolled her eyes. "Peril, it seems like that anger management class isn't working for you, is it?"  
  
"He provoked me!" Peril said, still grinning.  
  
"Yeah, okay," Jo said, smiling and shaking her head.  
  
"Hey, the girl's good," said the ex-Coyote next to Jo. She smiles. "So this is the addition that you've been raving about?"  
  
"Yeah," Emerald chirped in. "She's great, isn't she?"  
  
"Hey, are you going to be a Coyote again?" Peril claimed excitedly.  
  
Jo just rolled her eyes. "Well, I hope you are, because we don't want Peril to be sad, do we?"  
  
*****  
  
"You were awesome," Tokiya said, smiling down at Fuuko.  
  
Fuuko just grinned back at Tokiya. Shyly. "Thanks," she mumbled, diverting her glance to the ground.  
  
"What?" Tokiya asked in mock anger. "Is the grass more interesting than me, huh?"  
  
As Tokiya pulled Fuuko's face up to face him, he realized with shock that she's actually crying. "Wha-? Why are you crying?!" Panicked, Tokiya realized that he's actually seeing Fuuko crying, which is quite out of character for her. And he also realized that he's not immune to women crying, as he had thought before he met Fuuko.  
  
And now he doesn't know how to deal with it. Well. Shit.  
  
"You were so stupid!" Fuuko said, slamming her fists down on Tokiya's chest, trying to shake the tears away. "How can I not cry?!"  
  
"But-" Tokiya doesn't know what to say. "Uh. um."  
  
Fuuko still found the situation funny enough to actually laugh at Tokiya's obvious stupidity on how to deal with women's emotions. "Tokiya, you're so weird."  
  
Tokiya coughed. "Says the pot to the kettle."  
  
Fuuko just grinned at him, wiping away her tears as she looked up at him. "You know what, Toki-chan?"  
  
Tokiya winced at the nickname-Fuuko obviously gave him that nickname to annoy him-and looked down at her twinkling eyes. "What?"  
  
"Shut up and kiss me."  
  
And so he did.  
  
*****  
  
*Author's Notes:  
  
Grunt. That was so short for a conclusion! ~ Is what you'll be thinking right? ^^; Sorry, but there was really no way to prolong this chapter and still make it not boring! (OK, I suspect the fic was already boring in the first place ;_; ) But hey, I finally finished the freaking fic, eh? So that wasn't too bad. I had fun writing this fic, since I love FoR and Coyote Ugly. No copyright infringement intended of course, but I couldn't resist writing one crossover.  
  
Well, anyways. I hoped you really did enjoy the fic! I know I enjoyed writing it. 


End file.
